Part 1 - The Big Day
The last guest has left and most of the kitchen is cleaned up. Despite all of my worry, the day went okay. Lots of people commented that the turkey was great. Not the I had much to do with that. I just stuffed it and put it in the oven. And my cranberry sauce made with longenberries was a hit. Don't know why. Maybe because it was a surprise and most people hadn't eaten the berries before or if they had the berries were very bitter.
Elizabeth who is a senior Fulbright grantee (she has something to do with the evolution of butterflies) came over and cooked so it was great not to be alone in the kitchen and feeling so responsible for the outcome. So many people pitched in to clean up or to help get things ready. Great food was brought by everyone and one of the guys mashed the potatoes while two others carved the turkey. I don't think there was anyone who did not contribute. Dad cleaned house better than Cinderella ever could have and played host while I was in the kitchen.
We had a good day with about 18 guests, but we are so delighted to have everyone gone. :) However, they left behind a few things that they could have taken. For example; coffee that never got made. I found that after everyone left. Also a Bûche de Noël that was totally untouched. Sigh.
Tomorrow Santa Clause comes to town on Senate Sq. There is a parade and the Christmas Village opens. The huge tree in the square will be lighted by the mayor and Santa. We'll have to check it out.
Part 2 - Before the Dinner.
I was not a happy camper. If someone had bothered to tell me that getting a real turkey in Helsinki in November was no big deal, I would have been spared a lot of stress. I have stewed and worried about this for about six weeks - ever since we were told that we would be hosting the Fulbright grantees for a pot luck dinner. All I had to do was provide the meat/turkey. (I also did potatoes and longenberry sauce.) But of course, we have a miniature oven. We could not have done a bigger bird. This one was supposed to be 4.99 kg.
It cost about 29 Euros and the Fulbright center paid for it. Fortunately Elizabeth came over early to cook and everyone pitched in to make it a success (I think).
Anyway, about ten days ago, I went into the closest store to us and there were all of these frozen turkeys. Most of them about the size of the one that we bought. Who knew? Obviously the Fulbright people must have known. I told Dad we would be letting the next people coming in the fall know not to panic because about November 7th turkeys start showing up everywhere. People were telling me that I would have to go to this store or that store to do a special order etc. I just thought "Oh no. Why me?" And it turned out to be so easy to find a turkey just the right size.
Never having seen one in Paris, I worried for weeks about doing this. Obviously the Finns have either embraced Thanksgiving or have so many ex-pats living here or Americans married to Finn. Something. I am so grateful.
I did not try to do any pie. I'll have to make some at Christmas. Or buy a huge pumpkin pie from Costco if they still have them. :)
I think the turkey was delicious and I take no credit for that. The packaging said it was Wild Turkey from Finland. And it was so good.
The funniest part of our weekend for me was that while I was looking in the cupboards I found a lot of sheets. They were packed away in the sideboard/buffet. Someone must have thought that they were table clothes. But there were pillow cases with them. Here I had thought there were not enough sheets in the apartment.
Elizabeth who is a senior Fulbright grantee (she has something to do with the evolution of butterflies) came over and cooked so it was great not to be alone in the kitchen and feeling so responsible for the outcome. So many people pitched in to clean up or to help get things ready. Great food was brought by everyone and one of the guys mashed the potatoes while two others carved the turkey. I don't think there was anyone who did not contribute. Dad cleaned house better than Cinderella ever could have and played host while I was in the kitchen.
We had a good day with about 18 guests, but we are so delighted to have everyone gone. :) However, they left behind a few things that they could have taken. For example; coffee that never got made. I found that after everyone left. Also a Bûche de Noël that was totally untouched. Sigh.
Tomorrow Santa Clause comes to town on Senate Sq. There is a parade and the Christmas Village opens. The huge tree in the square will be lighted by the mayor and Santa. We'll have to check it out.
Part 2 - Before the Dinner.
I was not a happy camper. If someone had bothered to tell me that getting a real turkey in Helsinki in November was no big deal, I would have been spared a lot of stress. I have stewed and worried about this for about six weeks - ever since we were told that we would be hosting the Fulbright grantees for a pot luck dinner. All I had to do was provide the meat/turkey. (I also did potatoes and longenberry sauce.) But of course, we have a miniature oven. We could not have done a bigger bird. This one was supposed to be 4.99 kg.
It cost about 29 Euros and the Fulbright center paid for it. Fortunately Elizabeth came over early to cook and everyone pitched in to make it a success (I think).
Anyway, about ten days ago, I went into the closest store to us and there were all of these frozen turkeys. Most of them about the size of the one that we bought. Who knew? Obviously the Fulbright people must have known. I told Dad we would be letting the next people coming in the fall know not to panic because about November 7th turkeys start showing up everywhere. People were telling me that I would have to go to this store or that store to do a special order etc. I just thought "Oh no. Why me?" And it turned out to be so easy to find a turkey just the right size.
Never having seen one in Paris, I worried for weeks about doing this. Obviously the Finns have either embraced Thanksgiving or have so many ex-pats living here or Americans married to Finn. Something. I am so grateful.
I did not try to do any pie. I'll have to make some at Christmas. Or buy a huge pumpkin pie from Costco if they still have them. :)
I think the turkey was delicious and I take no credit for that. The packaging said it was Wild Turkey from Finland. And it was so good.
The funniest part of our weekend for me was that while I was looking in the cupboards I found a lot of sheets. They were packed away in the sideboard/buffet. Someone must have thought that they were table clothes. But there were pillow cases with them. Here I had thought there were not enough sheets in the apartment.
Ps. My apron which I brought from home was also a big hit.
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